Wheel suspension for land vehicles

ABSTRACT

A wheel suspension for land vehicles that is provided with a spring resting against at least one seat, with a dashpot, and with an attachment for a stabilizing rod, whereby one seat can be adjusted axially paralleling the spring. The object of the invention is to allow the stabilizing rod&#39;s attachment to be situated in the vicinity of the seat. An attachment ( 10  or  20 ) for the stabilizing rod is accordingly directly mounted on or indirectly attached to the spring seat ( 8 ), or on or to the mechanism that adjusts it, at a variable distance from the seat.

[0001] The present invention concerns a wheel suspension for land vehicles that is provided with a spring resting against at least one seat as recited in the preamble to claim 1.

[0002] Some automobiles are manufactured in very limited quantities. Some are employed in rallies and accordingly require very precise adjustment of the suspension-spring to shock-absorber ratio. For these applications, adjustable spring seats are known. The seat is adjusted by way of inside threads that engage outside threads, or of annular ridges that fit into matching annular grooves, on the supporting component. Generally, the seat rests against the outer cylinder of a dashpot or telescoping leg. This approach to installing an adjustable spring seat is known from German 4 438 756 A1 .

[0003] German 4 201 837 C1 discloses attaching a stabilizing rod directly to a spring seat welded rigidly to the outer cylinder of a dashpot.

[0004] If the means of attachment disclosed in German 4 201 837 C1 were employed with an adjustable spring seat like the one disclosed in German 4 438 756 A1, the tension on the stabilizing rod would necessarily vary with the setting of the seat. This would be a drawback in that the overall operation dynamics could not be controlled as desired.

[0005] The object of the present invention is an improved wheel suspension for land vehicles that is provided with a spring resting against at least one seat as recited in the preamble to claim 1 wherein the stabilizing rod's attachment can be situated in the vicinity of the seat.

[0006] This object is attained in accordance with the present invention by the characteristics recited in the body of claim 1. Advantageous further and advanced embodiments of the present invention are addressed in claims 2 through 7.

[0007] The present invention has several advantages. It allows a stabilizing rod to be attached in the vicinity of the spring seat in a wheel suspension that uses an adjustable seat. Furthermore, not only the spring but also the stabilizing rod can be fine adjusted to particular situations, allowing a variability that will ensure optimal driving conditions.

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention will now be specified with reference to accompanying drawing, wherein

[0009]FIG. 1 is a semisection through a telescoping leg and

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a spring seat that can be tightened in place.

[0011] The telescoping leg illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an inner cylinder 1 and an outer cylinder 2. A piston 3 travels up and down inside inner cylinder 1 on the end of a piston rod 4. The other end of piston rod 4 is attached to the vehicle's body. The telescoping leg is provided with accommodations 5 and 6 for the wheel suspension.

[0012] The piston-rod end of outer cylinder 2 is provided with annular grooves 7 that extend around it. The inner surface of a spring seat 8 is provided with tongue-like tabs 9 that are in turn provided with a ring of ridges. An attachment 10 for a stabilizing rod is provided with a finger-like connector 11 that extends by way of a cutout through another tab 12 and through spring seat 8. Connector 11 is, like tabs 9 and 12, provided with ring of ridges. All of these projects can be in the form of segments of a ring.

[0013] Attachment 10 and spring seat 8 can be adjusted independent of each other by individual axial displacement and accordingly adapted to the requirements of the specific wheel suspension. Once this adjustment has been established, a retaining ring 13 is positioned around the tabs 9 and 12 on spring seat 8, and the connector 11 on attachment 10 inserted, securing the positions of the seat and attachment. Since it is longer than tabs 9 and 12, retaining ring 13 will enclose connector 11 in all relative positions.

[0014]FIG. 2 illustrates another approach to attaching an adjustable spring seat. The spring seat 8 in this embodiment is provided with a tightening collar 14. Collar 14 itself is provided with a longitudinal slit 15 and with axial flanges 16 and 17. Flanges 16 and 17 extend radially out on each side of slit 15 and are penetrated by bores 18. Collar 14 can be tightened around the outer cylinder 2 of a dashpot or telescoping leg by means of threaded fasteners that comprise screws 19 and unillustrated nuts for example. Additional security can be provided by grooves and ridges as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0015] The stabilizing-rod attachment 20 for the spring seat 8 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a flat dogleg with a rod-accommodating bore 21 through the end remote from the seat. The end of attachment 20 near the seat is provided with slots 22 that accommodate screws 19, allowing independent adjustment of attachment 20 in relation to seat 8. Screwing the threaded fasteners together will secure the position of seat 8 on outer cylinder 2 and the position of attachment 20 relative to the seat. Any excess tension can be compensated with cup springs or cogged washers.

LIST OF PARTS

[0016] 1. inner cylinder

[0017] 2. outer cylinder

[0018] 3. piston

[0019] 4. piston rod

[0020] 5. accommodation 5

[0021] 6. accommodation 6

[0022] 7. groove

[0023] 8. spring seat

[0024] 9. tab

[0025] 10. attachment

[0026] 11. connector

[0027] 12. tab

[0028] 13. retaining ring

[0029] 14. collar

[0030] 15. slot

[0031] 16. flange

[0032] 17. flange

[0033] 18. bore

[0034] 19. screws

[0035] 20. attachment

[0036] 21. bore

[0037] 22. slot 

1. Wheel suspension for land vehicles that is provided with a spring resting against at least one seat, with a dashpot, and with an attachment for a stabilizing rod, whereby one seat can be adjusted axially paralleling the spring, characterized in that an attachment (10 or 20) for the stabilizing rod is directly mounted on, or indirectly attached to, the spring seat (8) or on or to the mechanism that adjusts it at a variable distance from the seat.
 2. Wheel suspension as in claim 1, characterized in that the spring seat (8) is attached to and can be adjusted in relation to the outer cylinder (2) of a dashpot or telescoping leg.
 3. Wheel suspension as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer cylinder (2) of the dashpot or telescoping leg is provided with outside threading or annular grooves (7), whereby a fastening collar on the spring seat (8) and the contact surface of the attachment (10) for the stabilizing rod are both provided with matching inside threading or ridges, and are accordingly secured jointly or separately to the outer cylinder.
 4. Wheel suspension as in one or more of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the attachment (10 or 20) for the stabilizing rod is positioned on the outer cylinder (2) axially above or below the fastening collar on the spring seat (8).
 5. Wheel suspension as in one or more of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the attachment (10) for the stabilizing rod is positioned radially inside an unoccupied segment on the fastening collar of the spring seat (8).
 6. Wheel suspension as in one or more of claims 1 through 5, characterized in that the fastening collar on the spring seat (8) and/or the contact surface of the attachment (10) for the stabilizing rod is or are surrounded or overlapped by a retaining ring (13) in the form of a tightening sleeve or tightening band.
 7. Wheel suspension as in claim 1 or outer cylinder 2, characterized in that a fastening collar (14) on the spring seat (8) is provided with one or more longitudinal slits (15) that extend along axial flanges (16 & 17) penetrated by tensioning means, preferably threaded fasteners, that tighten the collar around the outer cylinder (2) and in that at least one of the tensioning means accommodates the attachment (20) for the stabilizing rod. 